Luminous animated out-door billboard



Patented Feb. 2,` 1932' NETE@ STATS LUMINoUs ANIMAIED Appiicatioiiv fiiefi May io,

This invention relates generally to apparatus whereby to obtain various luminous animated effects or simulation of motion while being adapted to afford a still picture when 5 desired or in day-time, the invention having reference more particularly to an out-door bill-board having the above-mentioned characteristics and capable of being understood as a plain sign board inthe absence of anima- 10 tion effects and luminosity.

y An object of the invention` is to provide a novel bill-board or sign board of such construction4 as to be variously observed and ,n which shall be adapted to be used either out- 15 doors or iii-doors: and be effectively` illuminated. i f

Another object` is to provide novelV meansY whereby toV obtain vari'ousimproved simulationsof moving obj ects ona bill-board.

A further object is to provide means whereby to obtain novel effects inthe production of luminous animated objects on a bill-board and thereby enhance the value of a bill-board, especially as an attractive advertisement.v

A still further Objectis to provide a billboard having'a completeV luminous animated picture, and having means adapted to cause various simulations of different but blending picture features. Y Y n A stillfurther objecty is to provide improvements in apparatus structures whereby various animated effects may be harmoniously obtained in a single picture, and which shallbe of such a nature as to be adapted to be inexpensive, durableand economical in use.

With the above-mentioned and other objects iii view, the invention consists in a novel sign boardhaving a translucent portion and an opaque front portion bearing a display sign or picture on the face thereof, the opaquer part or portio-n having a still portionof a sign or a pictorial illustration on its face and the translucent portion having a representation on its face side adapted to be rendered luminous and so asto constitute completesign or picture having the simulation of moving liquid or vapork andto be rendered lumi-A nous and animated with realistic effects, particularly such as when smoke and `llames ina' conflagration are wafted hither and "thither,

FRANK A. Gaim-fr, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AssIeNoR, vin? MEsNn ASSIGNMENTS,

To GRITI, Nc., or INnIANAroLIs,-INDIANA, A conroiiAroN orY INDIANA ournoon v'BILLBOARD 1230. serial No. 451,349. ,l

ings,-Figure l is a front viewof a. bill-board having a picture representing a house aiire as illustrative of the. purposes and accomplishments oftlieinventionin one form thereof; Fig. 2 `is a horizontal section of the bill-board on a plane a short distance below the top thereofin which appear internal features of the` bill-board; Fig. 3 is a vertical Vtransverse sec-vv tion `of thebill-board showing the internal features thereof; 4 is a' vertical section of-an improved rotor and'mounting thereof,

on an enlarged scale', preferably Vused in prac-- ticev rather than :the corresponding devices appearing inv Figs. 2'and 3 on a necessarilyl small and indistinct scale; Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of one of the reflectors required'forJ obtaining certain results in the picture illustrated; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of an amplified reflector required in the production of a luminous animated ysign such as illustrated; 7 is an elevation .of a preferred form of rotor or light-interrupter; and Fig. 8 `isa topplan oftherotor. g Y Y Similar reference characters in the various figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction yherein'referred to in detail'l p An embodiment of a display apparatus illustrative of the invention in Aone form comprises a frame yhaving a bottom .1, end

walls Q and 3j, a top part 4 and a back orbase part 5, the frame supporting aV face plate or board 6 having a translucent lining 7k composed of any suitable material to whichV paint or coloringmatter ymay be applied, the'. front plate being opaque and having an openning or openings 8 through which thetranslucent vlining maybefseem such openings: corresponding in area andlocation to transparent' cover portions which the face plate Y usual roof'timbers 11. The picture is painted on the front face part 6, and on the exposed face of the lining, and portions of the roof parts are represented as having-been burned away and exposing the roof timbers which are represented as charred wood projecting from other portions of roof parts. The numeral 12 indicates windows from portions of which flames appear to be bursting from internal combustion. The numeral 13 indi Cates the main or central zone ofthe confiagration, other fire zones being indicated by the numerals 1li and 15, the colors for the representation of the fire being painted on the translucent lining portion of the billboard. The numeral 16' indicates a lire hose nozzle painted also on the face plate (i, the nozzle presumably being projected from a lre tower or from another building and directing'a stream ofwater 17 to a portion of the 'confiagratiom the representation of the stream being translucent on the lining and appearing to be drenching a portion 18 of the conflagration. The upper portion of theY complete picture largely represents smoke clouds in which tongues of flame 19 appear. The background colors of fire and smoke representations are paintedon the vtranslucent portion 7, the. natural lire color pre dominating, and in portions of the smoke clouds representations of flames and also sparks 2O are made to appear realistically by novel means hereinafter pointed out.

A source of light, preferably an electric lamp 21 is arranged back of the middle portion of the sign board lining 7, slightly lower than the main lire Zone representation 13, the neck of the lamp beingsupported in asocket 22 mounted o-n a bracket 23 which 1s supported by the back part 5, other brackets 23 and 23 for other lamps being supported also by the back part. A lightfintercepter 24 preferably is arranged to prevent direct light rays from being directed onto the face part lining '7, simple shades 24 being in some cases supplied for the purpose and suitably supported. Preferably the intercepter extends partially about and above the lamp and is provided on its upper portion with a bearing pin 25 and elastic arms 26 steadied upon the top of the lamp, the lower portion of the intercepter, which is shadelike in contour, having a ring or clasp 2T that is steadied on the neck of the lamp. .A

Leases? flexible reflector 28 is arranged opposite to the lamp to reflect the light therefrom to thc translucent portion and fire Zone 13. The. face of the reflector is polished or mirrorlike, and other reflectors 29 and 29 are provided as may be required. Each reflector has a supporting stem 30V or 30 that is adjustably supported on a base 31 which is secured vto the appropriate bracket, a hinge screw 32 adjustably securing the stem to the base, the reflector being provided With a screw Y33 adjustably securing it to the stein. The face of the reflector has opaque characters 34 and different other characters 35 tlieneon resembling bearded stems leaning Vgenerally in one direction to aid in causing simulation of moving tongues of fire in the representation. The face of the reflector preferably has also irregular indentations 36 and 36` and also circular in'dentations 37 which cause simulationV of sparks mingled with the lire flames and smo-ke in the representations.

In order to cause simulation of a stream of water a narrow reflector 38 having a con cave reflecting face is arranged behind the lamp 21 that is supported on the bracket 23, the reflector being approximately parallel with respect to the stream representation but may be adjusted to various angles upon manipulation of the binding screw Each rotor preferably is composed of thin pliable sheet metal and has a top plate 39 provided with a bearing cup l0 that is removably supported upon the bearing pin 25, a split ring All being sprung onto the bearing cup to retain it ina suitable center hole in the top plate in which the cup is placed. A suitable nun'iber of blades 4t2 are carried by the top plate and extend downwardly, the lower ends of the blades being suitably secured together' so as to constitute a bottom ring, the blades collectively extending about the lamp and preferably about the lightintercepter or shade. The blades are suitably spaced apart for the passage of light rays to the opposite reflector. The upper ends of the blades are suitably inclined so that heated air rising from the lamp against their under sides insured rotation of the light-interrupter, and in order to obtain most realistic representations of theconflagration representation, one rotary blade is suitably bent and distorted so as to constitute a relatively long upper blade portion or fin 43 and consequently practical enlargement of the space adjacent thereto for the passage of light, resulting in appearance of m oving light spots alternately with shadows across the lire zones. Perinissibly the width of the spaces bet een the Vblades may be varied by otherwise bending the blades downwardly.

lt is tobe understood that the light-intercepters may be rotated by any suitable means when preferred other than by heat generated ico llil

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by the electric lamps. Also that the representation of the conflagration may be more or less distinct, in 'some eases only blended reddish and yellowish colors of varying depth appearing on the translucent portion of the sign board when not illuminated by the apparatus above described with the animated or motion effects usually much desired.` The tongues of flame from smoke clouds and sparks appearing in Fig. 1 are intended to represent such as are caused artificiallyby the illumination and apparatus above described.

In practical use the front ofthe sign usually is rendered visible by the common street lamps or by means of other external lamps.

Y At such time as may be desired the electric lamps in the bill-board are switched into circuit and the rotors arel started, the light rays from the lamps being reflected or turned back to the translucent portion of the sign board. The movement of the rotors cause shadows to appear on the opposite reflectors'and they are reflected together with reflections of the characters andindentations on the reflectors to simulate realistic movements on the colored portion of' the sign representing the characteristic features of the conflagration,

. it being understood that the inclinations of the. rotor blades are such as to give the appearof the sign Y board to simulate movement of various portions of a complete pictorial or other representation, still parts of which may be borne by the opaque face plate or board, the lining sheet being translucent and vari-coloredto.

correspond with the subject of the representation, the rotors and the opposite reflectors cooperate to project on the lining sheet a corelated part of the representation and to effect simulation of movement of various portions of the co-related part of the representation, fire flames and smoke apparently rising and floating sidewise, the various relative positions of reflectors causing reflection of lightI at different angles so as to produce blending effects of elements of the simulation effected on the representation. accentuated or heightened by the characters, some of which are non-reflecting, on the face of the reflector, such reflectors being adapted to be complementary to the light-interrupting rotors, the latter in some cases having reflecting surfaces. Depending upon the nature of the representation, as that of a shooting geyser or a volcano, with 'falling matter, the direction of rotation of some of therotors may be reversed so as to cause simulation of downward and side movement of liquid and vapors.

The simulation is Y Yportion and ahouse afire illustrated on the face thereof, the front portion having a sightopening and being provided on itsI back with a translucent lining having thereon al representation suggestive of a conflagration emanating from the top of the house illustration, and a source of illumination and adustable reflecting means arranged behind the lining of the sign. n

v2. A display sign having4 ja translucent sheet, an opaque front plate with a pictorial representation on its face having definite characteristics, and apparatus arranged rearward of the translucent sheet including a plurality of spaced-apart groups of instruments, each group comprising'a lamp, a rotary lightinterrupter, and a reflector having a distorting face adapted to be complementary tothe light-interrupter, for effecting a continuation of the representation on the sheet `with simu-- lation of animation of a character suggested by the characterof the representation on the V n front plate. A y

3. A display sign having an opaque front portion and an illustration of a conflagration on the face thereof, the front portion having a sight-opening and `being provided on its back with atra nslucentlininghaving thereon a representation suggestive of a conflagration emanating from the top of the illustration, a source of illumination arranged behind the lining of the sign, and means arranged behind the sourceI of illumination having characterizing .devices to effect simulation of moving portions of the conflagration representation.

4l. A display sign including an opaque front plate bearinga pictorial representation and having a translucent lining sheet directly on its back, the plate having a sight-opening, a framesupporting the front plate comprising a back board, a plurality of brackets secured to the back board, al plurality oflamps supported upon the brackets respectively and having each distorted rotary `light-interrupter thereon, and a plurality of flexible cooperating reflectors mounted upon the brackets respectively and having variantly distorting faces effectively complementary to the light-interrupter. Y

5. A display sign having means for simulating the motion of free vaporous products of combustion comprised in a pictorial representation of a conflagration illuminable by light passing therethrough, such means including a translucent sheet bearing charity of rotary light-interrupters mova le be-` tween the lamps respectively. and opposite reflectors respectivel ill),

6. A luminous animated pictorial display board characterizedby a translucent sheet having a field of blended colors and color tints, a plurality of electric lamps arranged at a distance Vfrom the back of the sheet and in spaced-apartrelations, plurality of relectors adiustably arranged rearward of the lamps and Variantly co-operating to impart luminosity of different degrees to different portions of the color field, one of the reflectors having on its face a variety of characters cooperatively arranged, and a plurality of light-interrupting rotors opposite to the reiiectors respectively and co-operating thereiYit-h and one with another to turn light rays from the lamps with Various shadows onto the colored translucent iield.

7. In vluminous animated bill-board, the combination with a translucent displaying sheet, of a reflector arranged opposite to the hack of the sheet, lamp arranged intermediately of the reflector and the sheet, and a liqht-interrupter movable between the lamp and the redector and haring alternate blades and spaces, one of the spaces being` larger than each of the remaining` spaces.

8. In a luminous animated bill-board, the combination with a stationary translucent sheetand a lamp behind the sheet, of a supported braclfet, a stem adjnstably supported upon the bracket, a reflector adjnstably supported on the stem, and a light-interrupter movable between the lamp and the reflect-or.

9. In a luminous animated bill-board, the combination With a translucent. sheet, the sheet bearing a pictorial representation, of a reiector arranged opposite to the sheet, a lamp bulb arranged intermediate'ly of the reflector and the sheet, and a light-interruptel` rotatably supported by the bulb and having' blades to be carried bet-Ween the lamp and the reflector, one of the blades having; a distorted upper portion ellecting` an augmented light between theblade and others ot the blades. A f

In testimony whereof, l my signature on the 5th day of May, 1930.

' FRANK A. GRITT. 

